Volunteer Peer Mentor

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the choice for you

We are looking for
x 8 Volunteer Peer Mentors
Salary:
Unpaid

Location:
Hammersmith/Finsbury Park/Stratford (you could work across more than one location, or just focus on one of our centres depending on what is best for you)

Hours:
2-3 Hours per week (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Duration:
In order to get the best out of the experience we ask our volunteers to commit to at least 6 months

Contract:
Voluntary

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Please note
:
Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check.
About Us
Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending. We believe in empowering women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community.

We are a community-based organisation who lead in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community. We achieve this by being available to meet and support women in local settings and at our women's centres,
and
by working in close partnership with other agencies.

Our values are to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

About the role:
The Maia Service works with young women and girls living in Westminster, Hackney, Camden, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Hammersmith & Fulham, Brent or Newham. We enable young women and girls to escape harm and to thrive in their lives and aspirations. We support young women and girls to build confidence, self-esteem and resilience, manage their health and wellbeing, and access and engage with other support services. The support we provide is delivered through a range of activities, including 1-2-1 advocacy and a programme of group-work and workshops delivered by specially trained members of staff.

About You:

• 18+ (no upper age limit)

• Lived experience of domestic abuse and/or other related challenges including:

• poor mental health or drug and alcohol use

• financial difficulties or housing issues/homelessness or exclusion from education or experience of the care system

Able to commit to the following:

• In-person & online Volunteer Mentor induction training
• 2–3 hours of mentoring per week
• 1-2 hours of Volunteer Mentor meetings, supervision and training per month

Advance recognises that women and girls' journeys to recovery after experiencing trauma are not always linear. Volunteer Mentors must be in a place in their own lives where they are not currently facing risk of harm or have ongoing support needs in relation to experience of violence and abuse, current or alcohol use and/or contact with the criminal justice system, see our Person Specification (within the job description) to understand if you are the best person for this role.

How to apply:
Please submit your up-to-date CV with a cover letter. Please note that only applications made via the job advert on the Advance careers page, and those that include a cover letter will be considered.

Closing Date for Applications
: Sunday 19 October 2025 @23:59

Interviews are taking place on
22 and 23 October 2025

• Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits:

• An initial in-person & online induction training covering key topics, including the dynamics of domestic abuse, safeguarding, trauma-informed approaches to working with women and girls, active listening, boundary setting and maintaining relationships
• Ongoing training updates and 'refresher' sessions throughout the time in role
• Invitations to Advance Away Days, events and team meetings where appropriate
• Team awards and acknowledgement days
• Access to individual and group supervision
• Opportunities to shape the development and expansion of Advance's programme of support for young women and girls, including through feedback, evaluation and participation in research and focus groups
• Opportunities for progression at Advance and within the Volunteer Mentor programme

Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.
Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities
We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.
Safeguarding
Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.